IIM Kozhikode MBA admissions 2026: PI shortlist out, eligibility and next steps

IIM Kozhikode has announced the Personal Interview (PI) shortlist for its MBA programmes for the 2026–28 batch. Candidates who have received the official email invitation for the PI must complete the online registration form to remain eligible for the subsequent stages of the selection process.

To proceed, applicants should visit the official IIM Kozhikode website and access the PGP admissions section. On the MBA admissions page, they need to select Stage 1 Registration and enter the registered mobile number used by the applicants during their CAT 2025 application. After entering the verification code, candidates can complete the registration process.

Once logged in, applicants are required to carefully fill out the PI shortlist form, provide all necessary details, and upload supporting documents. Submission of the completed form marks the conclusion of this stage.

Eligibility criteria for PI shortlist

Applicants must satisfy the eligibility norms to complete Stage 1 registration. Candidates must have a three-year bachelor’s degree following the 10+2 system, securing at least 60% marks (55% for SC/ST/PwD candidates). Candidates with professional qualifications such as CA, CMA (ICWA), or CS must have scored at least 50% in the relevant examination.

Category-wise minimum eligibility benchmarks

1. General category

• CAT overall percentile: 85
• CAT sectional percentile: 75
• Class 10 (SSC): 60%
• Class 12 (HSC): 60%

2. EWS category

• CAT overall percentile: 75
• CAT sectional percentile: 65
• Class 10: 60%
• Class 12: 60%

3. OBC category

• CAT overall percentile: 75
• CAT sectional percentile: 65
• Class 10: 60%
• Class 12: 60%

4. SC category

• CAT overall percentile: 65
• CAT sectional percentile: 55\
• Class 10: 55%
• Class 12: 55%

5. ST category

• CAT overall percentile: 55
• CAT sectional percentile: 45
• Class 10: 55%
• Class 12: 55%

Shortlisting process for 2026

Selection for the WAT and PI rounds is based on a composite score that evaluates several parameters.

• CAT 2025 Index Score: Weightage-50
• Class 12 academic performance: Weightage-20
• Class 10 academic performance: Weightage-15
• Gender diversity (female/transgender candidates): Weightage-10
• Academic diversity (non-engineering background): Weightage-5
• Work experience: Weightage-5

Candidates can earn points for either gender diversity or academic diversity, but not both.

Work experience score slabs

• Below 6 months: 0 points
• 6–11 months: 1 point
• 11–17 months: 2 points
• 17–23 months: 3 points
• 23–29 months: 4 points
• 29–35/36 months: 5 points
• 37–41 months: 4 points
• 42–46 months: 3 points
• 47–51 months: 2 points
• 52–56 months: 1 point
• 57 months and above: 0 points

IIM Kozhikode’s three-stage admission process

IIM Kozhikode follows a structured three-stage admission process

Stage 1: Candidates who selected IIM Kozhikode in their CAT application and meet eligibility criteria are invited via email to complete online registration. Only those who submit the registration successfully move to the next stage.

Stage 2: Shortlisting at this stage is done category-wise using the Aggregate Index Score (AIS). This score considers CAT results, academic performance in Class 10 and 12, work experience, and diversity factors.

Stage 3: Candidates selected in Stage 2 appear for the Written Ability Test (WAT) followed by the Personal Interview (PI). Final merit lists are prepared separately for each category, combining CAT, WAT, PI, and overall profile scores. Admission offers are issued strictly according to merit and applicable reservation norms.

Weightage of components in the Aggregate Index Score (AIS)

• Verbal and Reasoning sections scaled scores: 40%
• Class 10 percentage score: 20%
• Class 12 percentage score: 20%
• Academic diversity score: 10%
• Gender diversity score: 5%
• Work experience score: 5%

Reservation policy

Admissions adhere to the Government of India’s reservation policy for Central Educational Institutions (CEIs).

Assessment details

Shortlisted candidates will undergo WAT and PI rounds in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Mumbai, and New Delhi. The assessments are conducted within a half-day session, scheduled either in the morning or afternoon.

During the WAT, applicants draft an essay on a topic revealed on-site. The PI assesses communication skills, personality, attitude, business awareness, managerial potential, and prior work experience relevance.

Final composite scores are calculated using the AIS, WAT, and PI results. These scores determine overall and category-wise merit lists. Admission offers follow strictly based on merit and reservation guidelines.

Score weightage structure

• Aggregate Index Score (Stage 2): 40%
• Written Ability Test (WAT): 20%
• Personal Interview (PI): 40%